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France: Marseille clinch first home win this season [Mon Sep 19th, 2005]
Paris (Reuters) - Improving Olympique Marseille laboured to a 2-1 win over promoted Troyes, their first Ligue 1 victory at home this season.
The result lifted Marseille to joint 13th in the 20-team standings, with eight points after seven games.
The hosts went ahead in the 22nd minute when midfielder Franck Ribery, exploiting a blunder in the Troyes defence, scored from close range.
Marseille, who had lost twice and drawn once at their Stade Velodrome venue in earlier league matches, doubled their lead 12 minutes later with a superb volley by Sabri Lamouchi.
Although Troyes reduced the deficit when Sebastien Grax scored from the penalty spot just before the hour, Marseille held on for their second Ligue 1 win a row, having tamed Sochaux 1-0 away last week.
"We were all waiting for this win," said Lamouchi. "We played pretty well during the first half but we were less efficient after the break."
Monaco delivered another sub-par performance before losing 2-0 at home to Stade Rennes, Kim Kallstrom and Yohann Gourcuff getting the goals for the Britanny side.
Disappointed Monaco fans have already called for coach Didier Deschamps to leave the club, who now lie 15th in the standings with just two wins and seven points from seven games.
"I know there are problems here at the moment, but we have only played seven league matches so far," said Monaco midfielder Olivier Solrin.
"If we give it up now, the season is going to be very long for many of us. We must try to react and bounce back," he added.
Paris St Germain were scheduled to meet St Etienne in a late game.
Olympique Lyon head the standings, having extended their unbeaten run to seven games since the start of the season with a 1-1 draw at Girondins Bordeaux.
Lyon have 17 points, three more than Le Mans, who beat Sochaux 2-1 at home.
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